Wednesday 30 April 2014

Feng Sushi

Despite living in London for a good three years now I have only had sushi a handful of times. Why? Well it is not that easy to find a decently priced, good quality and most importantly authentic sushi joint in the capital despite an abundance of places selling  what they call 'sushi'. This term is of course more often than not rather loosely applied to creations quite far removed from the fine art of sushi making cultivated in Japan ( and shown brilliantly in one of my favourite documentaries 'Jiru Dreams of Sushi', portraying the commitment and skills that lie behind becoming a true sushi chef), from culinary crimes like tinned tuna in a California roll to smoked salmon on top of what should be an expertly shaped piece of rice finished off with raw fish, there are many Westernised interpretation I would rather stay away from. There are of course some great Japanese restaurant in London that have successfully exported this 'art' of sushi with their seasonal menus, finely tuned flavours and expertly trained and presumably also exported chefs ( from the reviews I have read Sushi Tetsu being the best of the bunch). That excellence does come at a cost which unfortunately for the time being remains a little out of my price league though it remains on my list of places to eventually visit for a yet to be celebrated special occasion. For the time being however spending over £60 on rice and fish is not really justifiable which as I  have luckily found out doesn't mean completely giving up on getting pretty descent sushi at a good price and have it delivered to the comfort of your own home. Feng Sushi managed to do all of that and for around £15 a head delivered a freshly made, high quality and imaginative selection of sushi to my house that was a joy to eat and there in under an hour. With lots of different selections to choose from, whether you are vegetarian, want brown instead of white rice or leave the carbs completely behind with a sashimi mix, it is of course not strictly speaking authentic but where it may be a little 'pret' in its well thought through packaging and health conscious edge, it ultimately delivers on the  taste, quality and most crucially for me freshness of the sushi ( no ice cold rice gluing to your mouth here) and left my sushi craving well and truly satisfied. It is a takeaway option I am glad to have discovered and a chance to indulge in my love of sushi a little more often, even if I still dream of having the proper sushi experienc, ideally with a visit to Tokyo, one day! 

Tuesday 29 April 2014

Fuchsia Pink

Beanie / Topshop
Earrings / ASOS
Dress / ASOS Salon
Shoes / ASOS

Friday 25 April 2014

Yellow Sun

Hat / Topshop
Dress / 5Preview
Necklace / Topshop
Shoes / ASOS

Tuesday 22 April 2014

Clueless

Because fashion and clothes sometimes just need to be about having fun me and my best friend Abigail were inspired by one of THE films of my childhood years, Clueless, to relive the nineties last Saturday night. I may not be the biggest fan of fancy dress in general ( in fact I usual go for the ballerina / princess option as most of my wardrobe rather worryingly works for either), but I have to say Clueless did no doubt teach me a few fashion lessons that I have remembered to this day.  I may not usually go for the top to bottom matching look but this SS14 I have not been able to say not to a co-ord set and hell knee high socks are a look that after this night I am more than willing to rock a few more times this summer. It's good to sometimes leave your style comfort zone a little bit and I for one don't really think I carry of the "girly girl" look very well but in my role of Cher for the night and with that certain 'WHATEVER' attitude it was great to wear something I usually wouldn't and we are already plotting costumes ideas for a future night out! 

Hat / H&M
Jumper / Miss Selfridge
Skirt / Topshop Boutique
Socks / Topshop
Shoes / ASOS
Backpack / Blackblessed

Abigail
Set / Misguided

Monday 21 April 2014

Twin Set

Beanie / ASOS
Jacket / Zara
Top / Zara
Shorts / Zara
Shoes / ASOS

Tuesday 15 April 2014

Lilac Tulle

Beanie / Topshop
Jumper / Miss Selfridge
Skirt / Asos
Shoes / New Balance

Monday 14 April 2014

Shanghai Spirit

Hat / Miss Selfridge
Top / Topshop
Skirt / Topshop
Shoes / Office

Wednesday 9 April 2014

East London Brunch Spots


All good things come to an end and that is even true when it comes to eating out. As anyone that has ever read one of my restaurant reviews will know I have been a loyal fan and regular brunch visitor at Workshop Coffee for a few years now. However a change in menu that saw my two favourite dishes disappear ( replaced to my annoyance with none veggie friendly options), less friendly staff and a hike in price, for me a £3 flat white no matter how perfectly brewed really not excusable, meant that I eventually felt no other choice but to embark on a search for new places to spend my favourite mealtime of the week at. Luckily living in east London I have a growing choice of cafés and restaurants that try to do something a little different with their brunch offerings at my disposal and depending on whether you fancy something sweet or savoury has seen me discover some unexpected gems, able to fill the void left behind by Workshop! 

The Breakfast Club Hoxton
I have always been rather critical of the Breakfast club for a few reasons. It is the type of place included in most semi cool guide books and as a result more often than not filled with hordes of tourists, prepared to queue a good hour to tick it of their "to do in London" list. I for one detest both waiting for my food ( especially if hungover and before coffee) and tourist traps where restaurants tend to get away with rather mediocre fare to high prices, knowing that of course most customers have come for the experience and not high culinary standards. I had been to a few of their branches many years ago but found them rather cramped ( especially the soho restaurant) and my savoury dishes nothing out of the ordinary. However after a sudden craving for pancakes a friend of mine vouched for the greatness of the stack of fluffy doughy goodness served up at the Breakfast Club and I reconsidered my initial hesitation. Living literally around the corner from the Hoxton Breakfast club I put my doubts aside and gave it another go and was pleasantly surprised! Yes, there was a queue but the wait was short and service friendly. Once sat the room was spacious and atmosphere unrushed, not a given considering the queue outside. Once we had ordered, for me the classic pancakes with berries, vanilla cream and a jug of maple syrup and for my meat loving best friend Abigail pancakes with the addition of a mountain of various meat, we knew we had come to the right place. Generous portions, beautifully flavoured cream and a stack of fluffy and delicious pancakes completely hit the spot and was great value for money at £8 for my portion. The menu caters for every taste though I think for me the Breakfast club is my new to go to for that certain pancake craving I get every few weeks. Even if the Breakfast club isn't the most edgy place it is a London brunch institution underrated by many Londoners! 



Ozone Coffee
Ozone Coffee had been on my brunch map for some time but once again it's proximity to Workshop coffee, located just off Old street roundabout, had seen me reluctant to take the plunge and try somewhere new and unknown. After another underwhelming Workshop experience however ( spending just under £20 on a minuscule portion of eggs, beans, mushrooms and a coffee) I was determined to give it a go, especially after having a glimpse at their rather enticing and veggie friendly menu. With their own coffee roastery, Ozone is housed in a slightly industrial inspired, big, bright and welcoming place and me and my brunch buddy instantly felt at home perching on one of their benches. Coffee, of course, is a matter of pride here and for a reason. My flat white was smooth, strong and one of the best I have had in London. The food too is imaginative and full of fresh flavours. We settled for the mushrooms on sourdough with Swiss cheese and a dollop of creme fraiche, simple ingredients cooked perfectly, and chips ( and what chips with their crispy skin on and sea salt flakes on top) with aioli, one of the best I have had to date even when compared with more famous burger bar ones. Paying under £15 each, we left stuffed, satisfied and already discussing what to try next time. I have a feeling Ozone will become a regular weekend spot of mine in no time. 

Monday 7 April 2014

Ocean Scene

Hat / Topshop
Earrings / H&M
Top / & Other Stories
Skirt / Three Floor
Shoes / Zara

Thursday 3 April 2014

Mint Accents

Hairband / Loving Alice
Top / Hofmann
Jacket / H&M
Skirt / Topshop